Cold deformation process employing improved lubrication coating

Abstract

In the practice of the instant invention, a lubricating phosphate coating is applied to the surface of a ferrous-base metal article by contacting the surface with an aqueous acidic phosphate coating solution which contains an amount of hydroxylamine which is effective in increasing the rate at which the phosphate coating deposits from the solution. The resulting coated article is then subjected to cold deformation. In a preferred embodiment, the metal article is additionally contacted with a second lubricating compound after the phosphate coating is applied. In addition to phosphate, the coating solutions employed preferably contain one or more of the following ions: zinc, manganese, nitrate, nickel, ferrous, ferric, copper, fluoride, or mixtures thereof.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A process for the cold deformation of a ferrous-base metal article comprising the steps of: (a) contacting the surface of the article with a first lubricant which comprises an aqueous acidic zinc, manganese or zinc/manganese lubricating phosphate coating solution additionally containing from 0.5 to 10.0 wt. % nitrate ion and from 0.01 to 10 wt. % hydroxylamine;   (b) thereafter contacting the surface with a second lubricant which contains a C 8  to C 18   fatty acid, fatty acid salt, fatty acid soap, or mixtures thereof; and   (c) thereafter subjecting the coated article to cold deformation.   
     
     
       2. A process according to claim 1 wherein the second lubricant is selected from the group consisting of sodium stearate, potassium stearate, or mixture thereof. 
     
     
       3. A process according to claim 1 wherein the phosphate coating solution is a zinc phosphate coating solution. 
     
     
       4. A process according to claim 1 wherein the phosphate coating solution is a zinc phosphate coating solution. 
     
     
       5. A process according to claim 3 wherein the zinc is present in the phosphate coating solution at a level of about 0.25 percent to about 7.5 percent by weight. 
     
     
       6. A process according to claim 5 wherein the zinc is present in the phosphate coating solution at a level of about 0.75 percent to about 5.5 percent by weight. 
     
     
       7. A process according to claim 6 wherein the zinc is present in the phosphate coating solution at a level of about 1.0 percent to about 3.0 percent by weight. 
     
     
       8. A process according to claim 1 wherein the phosphate is present in the phosphate coating solution at a level of about 0.5 percent to about 8.0 percent by weight. 
     
     
       9. A process according to claim 8 wherein the phosphate is present in the phosphate coating solution at a level of about 1.0 percent to about 7.0 percent by weight. 
     
     
       10. A process according to claim 9 wherein the phosphate is present in the phosphate coating solution at a level of about 1.5 percent to about 4.0 percent by weight. 
     
     
       11. A process according to claim 1 wherein the zinc phosphate coating solution contains nitrate ions at a level of about 1.0 percent to about 7.5 percent by weight. 
     
     
       12. A process according to claim 11 wherein the zinc phosphate coating solution contains nitrate ions at a level of about 3.0 to about 7.0 by weight. 
     
     
       13. A process according to claim 1 wherein the quotient of the concentration of nitrate over the concentration of phosphate is about 0.3 to about 6.0. 
     
     
       14. A process according to claim 13 wherein the quotient is about 0.5 to about 5.0. 
     
     
       15. A process according to claim 14 wherein the quotient is about 0.9 to about 4.5. 
     
     
       16. A process according to claim 1 wherein ferrous iron is present in the phosphate coating solution at a level of about 0.05 percent to about 0.6 percent by weight. 
     
     
       17. A process according to claim 1 wherein the lubricating phosphate is deposited upon the surface of the metal article at a weight of about 350 mg to about 4500 mg of metal phosphate per square foot of metal surface. 
     
     
       18. A process according to claim 17 wherein the lubricating phosphate is deposited upon the surface of the metal article at a weight of about 500 mg to 3500 mg of metal phosphate per square foot of metal surface. 
     
     
       19. A process according to claim 1 wherein the phosphate coating solution contains nickel at a level of about 0.005 percent to about 0.1 percent by weight. 
     
     
       20. A process according to claim 1 wherein the lubricating phosphate coating solution is controlled at a temperature of about 130° F. when contacting the metal article. 
     
     
       21. A process according to claim 20 wherein the lubricating phosphate coating solution is controlled at a temperature of about 160° F. to about 190° F. when contacting the metal article. 
     
     
       22. A process according to claim 20 wherein the lubricating phosphate coating solution is controlled at a pH of about 1.8 to about 2.5. 
     
     
       23. A process according to claim 1 wherein both ferrous and ferric ions are present in the phosphate coating solution. 
     
     
       24. A process according to claim 1 wherein the hydroxylamine is present in the phosphate coating solution at a level of from about 0.01 percent to about 3.0 percent by weight. 
     
     
       25. A process according to claim 24 wherein the hydroxylamine is present in the phosphate coating solution at a level of from about 0.05 percent to about 1.0 percent by weight.